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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — music
  7. season — of the year
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. charge — a price
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bass — low music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — the fish
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — to point toward
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. charge — in control

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