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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: file · bass · wake · ball · rock · pitcher · lean · ground

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rock — music
  5. ground — a position
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. file — a tool
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bass — low music
  14. file — a document
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lean — thin

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