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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fine — high quality
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bank — of a river
  5. prune — to trim
  6. snap — to click
  7. ball — a dance
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. key — in music
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. fine — all right
  18. bank — for money
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bank — for money
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. charge — a price
  24. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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