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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 124 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. last — to go on
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bass — low music
  13. last — final
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — a hint
  20. last — finally
  21. hand — help
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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