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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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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: object · band · net · bass · mark · drill

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. drill — the tool
  5. net — after costs
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. band — a ring
  10. mark — a grade
  11. band — a music group
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. net — for catching
  15. object — a thing
  16. net — in sport
  17. bass — low music
  18. drill — army training

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