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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 120 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: bass · ball · object · court · wake · charge · track · rock

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rock — music
  3. object — a thing
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. object — to protest
  7. court — for sport
  8. object — an aim
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. track — to keep track
  12. court — of law
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. track — a song
  15. court — of a king
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. track — a path
  19. charge — a price
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ball — a great time
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bass — low music

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