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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bass — the fish
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wound — an injury
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. current — electric
  13. track — a path
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — of water
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — low music
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. current — happening now
  23. ball — a dance
  24. foot — the bottom

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