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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.

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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: cue · bound · mark · rash · rest · spring · bay · bass

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bass — low music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spring — the season
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — a series
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rest — what's left

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