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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. charge — in control
  3. drill — army training
  4. bass — low music
  5. band — a music group
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wax — to grow
  12. charge — a price
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. band — a ring
  18. bass — the fish

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