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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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468
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: safe · bass · pitch · squash · tube · bear · swing · cue

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. tube — the underground
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cue — a hint
  9. swing — music
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bass — low music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. swing — in golf
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. swing — to play on
  23. tube — a container
  24. safe — a strongbox

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