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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bound — obliged
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. toast — bread
  18. bound — certain
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mouse — for a computer

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