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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into 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 dance
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bass — low music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — completely
  17. key — in music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ball — a round shape

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