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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · wave · mug · foot · bowl · bass · rest · cap

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cap — of ice
  15. mug — a face
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cap — a lid
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rest — a break
  24. foot — a measure

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