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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: current · cue · bat · bowl · prune · present · ball · bass

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. present — there
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cue — a hint
  8. current — of water
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. current — happening now
  12. present — the time now
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bass — low music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bat — the animal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bass — the fish
  22. present — a gift
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — a dish

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