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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pound — a weight
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. key — in music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. can — to be able to
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ball — a great time
  16. can — a tin
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. key — the most important part
  20. shower — rain
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. sharp — clever
  24. can — a tin

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