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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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  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. band — a music group
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — goods
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stock — shares
  8. bass — low music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. band — a ring
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. face — to confront
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cue — a hint
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. band — a rubber band
  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