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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: fan · suit · rush · track · bass · pitcher · ball · cold

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. track — a song
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — to fit
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cold — not warm
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ball — a great time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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