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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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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: temple · pop · stick · bear · fork · bass · cue · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cue — for pool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pop — music
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pop — soda
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. temple — side of the head

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