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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bass — low music
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fine — high quality
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. craft — boats
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fine — all right
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. craft — a skill
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. sharp — clever

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