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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 116 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: pitcher · bowl · bass · ruler · club · kick · wound · mine

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. kick — in football
  10. wound — an injury
  11. club — for golf
  12. bass — the fish
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bass — low music
  24. club — a group

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