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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · wave · row · bark · bass · tube

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. tube — a container
  4. row — a line
  5. bass — the fish
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bass — low music
  16. club — for golf
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bark — to shout

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