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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: rock · charge · mark · court · pop · bass · spring · saw

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mark — a trace
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rock — a stone
  6. charge — in control
  7. bass — low music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. court — of a king
  10. charge — electricity
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rock — music
  15. court — of law
  16. pop — music
  17. spring — of water
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bass — the fish
  23. spring — the season
  24. court — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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