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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · bowl · straw · ball · bass · arm · net · wax

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ball — a dance
  12. net — for catching
  13. wax — to grow
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — in sport
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. net — after costs
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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