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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fine — all right
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — high quality
  8. firm — a company
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. current — of water
  11. firm — steady
  12. wax — to grow
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ball — a dance
  16. current — electric
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. current — happening now
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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