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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: land · bore · object · sharp · rock · bass · coach · suit

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. object — a thing
  6. rock — music
  7. land — to come down
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bass — low music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. object — an aim
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. object — to protest
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. land — ground
  20. sharp — clever
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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