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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: hide · pass · bulb · vault · chair · bass · ball · game

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chair — a leader
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bass — the fish
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bass — low music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. game — wild animals
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — a match
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chair — to sit on

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