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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 120 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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bass — low music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bass — the fish
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — music
  17. ball — a dance
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pop — soda
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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