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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bass — low music
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bound — certain

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