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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. game — wild animals
  10. plane — a tool
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. staff — employees
  13. season — in sport
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. game — a match
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. season — of the year
  21. staff — employees
  22. bass — the fish
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mouse — for a computer

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