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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: mouse · press · bore · bowl · lash · file · bass · spring

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. spring — of water
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bass — low music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. press — to push
  17. file — a tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — an eyelash

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