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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: bay · bound · leaves · club · roll · cue · bass · deal

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bass — low music
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bound — obliged
  6. roll — a list
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bound — tied together
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. club — for golf
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bound — certain
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. club — a group

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