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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · content · straw · dip · mouse · squash

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. squash — to crush
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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