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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: deal · net · pitcher · bass · drill · trunk · row · bowl

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. drill — army training
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. row — to paddle
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. row — a line
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. drill — the tool
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bass — the fish
  22. net — in sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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