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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. firm — a company
  3. file — a tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. track — a path
  10. cap — a lid
  11. file — a line of people
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bass — low music
  14. firm — decided
  15. cap — of ice
  16. track — a song
  17. firm — steady
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a dance
  20. file — a document
  21. track — to keep track
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ruler — for measuring

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