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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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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: pop · face · mouse · charge · bark · cue · tube · bass

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pop — soda
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cue — a signal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. charge — a price
  16. face — to confront
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bass — low music
  23. tube — a container
  24. face — to point toward

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