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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.

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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: wave · racket · spell · bay · bass · fork · ruler · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bass — low music
  3. fork — in a road
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bass — the fish
  11. spell — letters
  12. cue — for pool
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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