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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 · lie · track · hand · mouse · suit · court · mark

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. court — of a king
  7. track — a song
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — for sport
  16. track — a path
  17. hand — help
  18. court — of law
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bass — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lie — to recline

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