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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.

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: wake · drill · bay · ball · bass · chair · bank · prune

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. drill — army training
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — the tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bass — low music
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bass — the instrument

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