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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 120 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: wave · bore · game · bass · craft · kid · bay · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to tire
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — low music
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. craft — boats
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bore — to drill
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. game — a match
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — wild animals

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