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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: wake · can · bore · rush · ball · bay · rock · fan

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — to tire
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — to drill
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rush — to hurry

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