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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.

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: bore · bass · bulb · face · bowl · band · row · content

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bulb — for light
  10. face — to confront
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. row — a line
  15. band — a music group
  16. face — to point toward
  17. content — the amount
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a ring
  22. content — happy
  23. bass — low music
  24. bulb — for light

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