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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · toast · row · wax · bass · ball

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — low music
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. toast — bread
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. row — to paddle
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. firm — decided
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. firm — steady
  12. ball — a dance
  13. row — a line
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. firm — a company
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bass — the fish
  18. ball — a great time

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