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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — music
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bass — low music
  7. pop — soda
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wound — an injury
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wound — an injury
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. spell — magic
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to tire
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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