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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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Word bank
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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — the fish
  5. root — of a word
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cell — a phone
  8. root — the cause
  9. squash — the sport
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. present — there
  15. bass — low music
  16. cue — a signal
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cell — in biology
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cue — a hint
  24. squash — to crush

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