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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. season — of the year
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bore — to drill
  6. shower — rain
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rash — a series
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. season — in sport
  24. bass — low music

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