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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 · mark · track · mouse · key · spring · rash · fall

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. track — a song
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — low music
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. spring — the season
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. track — a path
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fall — the season
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rash — hasty
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mouse — for a computer

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