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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: bass · fine · ball · prune · object · bulb · charge · straw

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. charge — a price
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. object — a thing
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — electricity
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bass — low music
  14. object — an aim
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — high quality
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — all right
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. prune — to trim

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