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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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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. file — a line of people
  3. object — an aim
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — the fish
  6. file — a document
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. file — a tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ball — a great time
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bass — low music
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rest — a break
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. object — a thing

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