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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ground — a position
  3. net — for catching
  4. capital — money
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bass — low music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bass — the fish
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. face — to point toward
  17. capital — a city
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. net — after costs
  20. face — to confront
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. net — in sport

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