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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. scale — in music
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — the amount
  11. bass — low music
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. toast — bread
  19. squash — the sport
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. scale — size or range
  23. content — happy
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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