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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: cue · charge · roll · can · perch · pop · bat · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — a hint
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pop — soda
  11. can — a tin
  12. roll — a list
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bass — low music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pop — music
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. can — to be able to
  22. roll — a cake
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pop — to visit

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