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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. present — there
  8. fall — to drop
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. drill — a practice
  12. present — a gift
  13. fall — the season
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wound — an injury
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. drill — army training

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