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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · pitch · wax · saw · charge · vault · bass · ball

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bass — low music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wax — to grow
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. charge — a price
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pitch — completely

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