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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.

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: fine · bore · hide · toast · chest · branch · bowl · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. branch — a division
  7. chest — a box
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. toast — bread
  12. fine — high quality
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bore — to tire
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chest — of your body
  24. branch — of a bank

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