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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. net — after costs
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bass — low music
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — a stone
  18. net — for catching
  19. bank — for money
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bore — to drill
  24. net — in sport

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