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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: ball · track · mouse · race · cue · bass · ground · temple

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ground — a position
  5. track — to keep track
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bass — low music
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cue — a signal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. race — a contest
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. race — humankind
  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