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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. court — of a king
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. court — of law
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bass — the fish
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — low music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. court — for sport
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. prune — to trim
  18. scale — in music

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