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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.

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: key · lie · file · bass · bear · ball · pop · march

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pop — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. march — the month
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. key — in music
  15. file — a document
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bass — low music
  23. file — a tool
  24. bear — the animal

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