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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: pit · dip · arm · ball · bear · wave · cue · bass

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cue — for pool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — the fish
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bass — low music
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pit — in a race

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