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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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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: dip · band · pop · ruler · bass · game · rock · sharp

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. game — wild animals
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bass — low music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. band — a ring
  20. rock — music
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. band — a music group
  23. game — a match
  24. pop — soda

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