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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. can — a tin
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bass — low music
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cold — not warm
  10. can — a tin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. spell — a short time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. cold — an illness
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bass — the fish
  21. cue — a hint
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com