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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bound — certain
  7. rock — music
  8. shower — rain
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bass — low music
  23. shower — to wash
  24. fine — all right

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