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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 · rash · trunk · wave · firm · charge · chair · ball

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. charge — electricity
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — steady
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — a price
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bass — low music
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — in control
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. wave — with your hand

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