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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: last · squash · game · ball · charge · bass · patient · rock

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ball — a great time
  9. game — wild animals
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — in control
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — a price
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. last — to go on
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — low music
  20. last — final
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. last — finally

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