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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 120 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: present · ball · perch · bass · row · cue · key · track

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. track — to keep track
  7. row — a line
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. present — the time now
  10. row — to paddle
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cue — for pool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. bass — low music
  19. present — a gift
  20. key — in music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. perch — the fish

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