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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cell — in biology
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cell — a phone
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. roll — a list
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. roll — a cake
  13. ball — a dance
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. court — of law
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. court — of a king
  19. bass — the fish
  20. court — for sport
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bass — the instrument

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