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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spell — magic
  3. march — the month
  4. track — a song
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — a path
  8. bass — the fish
  9. march — music
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bass — low music
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. spell — letters
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. march — the month

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