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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 116 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
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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 · scale · last · bowl · ball · mouse · club · bore

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. club — for golf
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. scale — in music
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. last — finally
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — an aim
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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