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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. march — the month
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. charge — a price
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rock — music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pop — music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. charge — in control
  16. march — music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pop — to visit
  19. march — the month
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pop — soda
  23. ball — a great time
  24. deal — an agreement

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