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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. vault — a safe
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. current — of water
  7. court — for sport
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. court — of law
  12. band — a music group
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a dance
  15. current — electric
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bowl — a dish

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