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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: fine · charge · key · file · bass · band · pop · mark

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. key — in music
  2. file — a document
  3. pop — music
  4. band — a music group
  5. charge — in control
  6. mark — a trace
  7. charge — a price
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pop — soda
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pop — to visit
  12. file — a line of people
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. charge — electricity
  17. band — a ring
  18. file — a tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fine — all right
  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