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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.

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: rush · charge · straw · cue · bass · content · ground · tube

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. 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 instrument
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bass — low music
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. charge — electricity
  6. tube — a container
  7. ground — the earth
  8. charge — in control
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cue — a signal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. content — happy
  13. charge — a price
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cue — for pool
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ground — a position
  22. cue — a hint
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. 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