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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. court — of a king
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. bass — the fish
  9. suit — clothes
  10. snap — to click
  11. suit — in cards
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. track — a song

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