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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bass — low music
  21. cue — for pool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. track — a song

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