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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. court — for sport
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rock — music
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. charge — in control
  18. court — of law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. court — of a king
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bear — 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