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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: court · wave · rest · chip · bass · wake · bat · rock

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rest — a break
  6. bat — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. court — of law
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bass — low music

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