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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.

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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: craft · ball · chair · bass · snap · rest · dip · pop

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pop — music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. craft — boats
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bass — low music
  11. chair — a leader
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. ball — a great time
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. rest — a break
  19. bass — the fish
  20. snap — to click
  21. pop — soda
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rest — what's left

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