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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — a cup
  4. club — for golf
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mug — a face
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bass — low music
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. club — a group
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bore — to tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. club — for dancing

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