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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. object — an aim
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. charge — a price
  8. cue — a signal
  9. charge — in control
  10. object — a thing
  11. bass — low music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. object — to protest
  17. bat — the animal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wound — an injury

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