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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — letters
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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