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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: rock · tube · lie · wake · bass · dip · ball · sharp

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. tube — a container
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. dip — a sauce

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