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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · drill · bass · racket · bowl · snap

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. snap — to click
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bass — the fish
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — low music
  11. drill — army training
  12. club — for golf
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. club — a group
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bowl — a dish

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