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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: bore · suit · bass · ball · nail · rest · band · cell

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — clothes
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. band — a music group
  15. suit — to fit
  16. band — a ring
  17. bass — low music
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. suit — in cards
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rest — a break

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