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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mouse · bowl · rush · rash · pop · pitcher · roll

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bass — low music
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rash — a series
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. roll — a list
  14. pop — music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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