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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.

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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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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: rush · fall · bass · field · cue · bear · charge · wave

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. field — farmland
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. field — for sport
  11. cue — a hint
  12. field — a subject
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — a signal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fall — the season
  20. charge — a price
  21. bass — low music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bass — the fish

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