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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: pop · bowl · ball · snap · calf · pitcher · cap · bass

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pop — soda
  11. bass — low music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cap — a hat
  14. snap — to click
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ball — a round shape

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