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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chip — to eat
  4. can — a tin
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. row — to paddle
  8. can — to be able to
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. roll — a list
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. track — a path
  16. row — a line
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — for digging
  19. roll — a cake
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bass — low music
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bass — the fish

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