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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 · band · charge · dip · bass · rule · pop · ball

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pop — music
  6. track — a song
  7. rule — government
  8. band — a ring
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. charge — in control
  11. bass — low music
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pop — soda
  16. charge — electricity
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pop — to visit
  19. band — a music group
  20. track — a path
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ball — a dance
  23. charge — a price
  24. track — to keep track

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