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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: bass · pound · chair · ball · toast · band · mouse · key

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. band — a ring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bass — the fish
  10. key — the most important part
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. key — in music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. band — a music group
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. key — for a lock
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bass — low music
  24. toast — bread

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