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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 116 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: charge · calf · deal · ball · pop · wave · suit · bass

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pop — soda
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bass — low music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. charge — a price
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. charge — in control
  16. bass — the fish
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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