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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ball — a great time
  9. board — a committee
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. can — a tin
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cell — a phone
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bass — the fish
  23. board — to get on
  24. ball — a dance

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