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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: last · tube · march · charge · bass · pitcher · ball · mark

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. charge — electricity
  3. march — music
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. last — finally
  7. bass — the fish
  8. charge — in control
  9. last — final
  10. charge — a price
  11. bass — low music
  12. tube — a container
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. last — to go on
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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