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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 120 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: mug · fall · wake · band · ball · mark · bowl · pop

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. band — a music group
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pop — to visit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pop — music
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fall — the season
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pop — soda
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fall — to drop
  24. band — a ring

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