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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: bowl · bass · drill · coach · leaves · track · club · mouse

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. track — a song
  3. bass — the fish
  4. drill — army training
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. drill — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. club — a group
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. drill — a practice
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. track — a path
  20. club — for golf
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — of a tree

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