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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: rest · can · cue · wake · wind · mug · shower · bass

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. shower — rain
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rest — a break
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bass — low music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. cue — a hint
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rest — what's left
  18. shower — to wash
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rest — what's left
  22. can — a tin
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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