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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — of a river
  7. race — a contest
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — a price
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. march — the month
  13. charge — in control
  14. march — the month
  15. race — humankind
  16. face — to confront
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bass — the fish
  19. march — music
  20. bank — for money
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. face — to point toward
  23. race — the arms race
  24. charge — electricity

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