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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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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: roll · swing · bore · rock · tube · craft · bass · arm

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bore — to drill
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. swing — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bass — low music
  9. craft — boats
  10. bass — the fish
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bore — to tire
  13. roll — a cake
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. roll — a list
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. swing — in golf
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — music

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