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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. club — a group
  3. ball — a great time
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. saw — the tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — for a lock
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — in music
  11. file — a tool
  12. perch — the fish
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. club — for golf
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. file — a document
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ball — a dance
  22. file — a line of people
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. club — for dancing

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