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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: bass · fall · lean · bore · kick · ball · bowl · row

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bass — low music
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fall — the season
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. lean — thin
  24. fall — to drop

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