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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 · saw · march · object · prune · bowl · bore · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bore — to drill
  4. object — to protest
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. object — an aim
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bore — to tire
  9. march — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. march — the month
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. prune — to trim
  20. march — the month
  21. object — a thing
  22. bass — low music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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