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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. board — a committee
  14. wake — a trail
  15. can — a tin
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. board — to get on
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mouse — the animal

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