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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: coach · fall · mouse · bass · net · current · spell · bowl

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bass — the fish
  8. net — after costs
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. current — of water
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fall — the season
  13. current — electric
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fall — to drop
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — magic
  22. net — for catching
  23. current — happening now
  24. bowl — a football final

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