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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · fork · bass · object · cap · pop · roll · mouse

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. bass — low music
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. object — an aim
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pop — soda
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fork — in a road
  16. object — to protest
  17. bear — the animal
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — a thing
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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