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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bass — low music
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. court — of a king
  12. lean — to bend
  13. court — of law
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bass — the fish
  16. band — a music group
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. vault — a safe
  22. court — for sport
  23. lean — thin
  24. firm — steady

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