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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. squash — to crush
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. tear — from crying
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pass — a permit
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bore — to tire

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