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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: face · bass · ball · drill · bowl · bulb · hand · hide

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — army training
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. face — part of the head
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. face — to confront
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bass — low music
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. hand — help
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. drill — the tool

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