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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: mark · mouse · key · content · object · rush · bass · club

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. object — a thing
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — a group
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mark — a grade
  10. key — for a lock
  11. content — the amount
  12. object — to protest
  13. key — in music
  14. content — happy
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. object — an aim
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. content — videos and posts

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