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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a ring
  4. rock — music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ball — a great time
  10. object — an aim
  11. band — a music group
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — goods
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — a thing
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stock — shares
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cue — a signal
  24. squash — the vegetable

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