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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. court — of law
  5. bass — low music
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mug — a cup
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth

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