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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: track · lie · mouse · pop · key · arm · prune · bass

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pop — to visit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. key — the most important part
  13. track — a song
  14. prune — to trim
  15. key — in music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. track — a path
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — low music
  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