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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bass — low music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bass — the fish
  6. capital — a city
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. ball — a great time
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — a company
  11. chair — a leader
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. capital — money
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — decided
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. firm — steady
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. key — the most important part

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