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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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. arm — a part of something
  4. march — music
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. present — the time now
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. march — the month
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. present — there
  15. perch — the fish
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. foot — a measure
  21. march — the month
  22. ball — a great time
  23. present — a gift
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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