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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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Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bass — low music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. charge — a price
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. ball — a dance
  12. season — of the year
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mine — for digging
  17. charge — in control
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mouse — the animal

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