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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. object — a thing
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ball — a great time
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. spring — the season
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. object — an aim
  11. spring — of water
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. object — to protest
  14. ball — a dance
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — low music
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rush — to hurry

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