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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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bass — low music
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. present — there
  11. bore — to tire
  12. present — a gift
  13. vault — a safe
  14. present — the time now
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pop — to visit
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a hat

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