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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: ball · track · bass · suit · racket · spring · mark · pop

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. spring — the season
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pop — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. track — a song
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. track — a path
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ball — a great time
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pop — soda
  24. racket — a loud noise

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