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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 · key · ball · pound · bowl · mouse · plane · cold

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. key — in music
  5. cold — an illness
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bass — low music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pound — a weight
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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