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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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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: cue · bass · mate · track · wake · firm · lie · object

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. track — a song
  4. firm — a company
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wake — a trail
  12. object — an aim
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mate — to breed
  16. track — a path
  17. cue — a hint
  18. object — a thing
  19. mate — a friend
  20. firm — decided
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — the fish
  23. object — to protest
  24. lie — to recline

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