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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: cue · lie · suit · rest · mug · bass · bat · bear

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bass — low music
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cue — a signal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rest — a break
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bat — the animal

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