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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.

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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: pop · cue · bank · saw · suit · court · file · bass

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. bank — of a river
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pop — to visit
  9. file — a document
  10. cue — for pool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — to fit
  17. court — of a king
  18. file — a tool
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bank — for money

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