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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 120 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: mug · ball · fan · bass · drill · suit · shower · racket

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. drill — army training
  6. mug — a cup
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — clothes
  9. drill — a practice
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ball — a dance
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mug — a face
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — to rob
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. shower — rain
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a round shape

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