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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
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: fan · bass · pit · wake · arm · cabinet · ball · mouse

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bass — low music
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mouse — the animal

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