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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bass — low music
  5. pop — music
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. bass — the fish
  14. key — in music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pop — soda
  24. mate — a friend

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