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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: ball · cue · bass · perch · pitcher · pass · lie · coach

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cue — for pool
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lie — to recline
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bass — low music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ball — a great time
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. perch — the fish

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