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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 120 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: bass · key · hand · bore · scale · rock · bowl · last

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. hand — help
  17. last — to go on
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. last — finally
  21. last — final
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. key — in music
  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