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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spell — letters
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pop — music
  8. ball — a great time
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pop — soda
  21. spell — a short time
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — magic
  24. ball — a dance

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