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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bound — certain
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. club — a group
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. bore — to drill
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. club — for golf
  24. suit — in cards

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