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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: suit · land · arm · bowl · pop · bass · mouse · file

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bass — low music
  7. land — a country
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. file — a document
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. file — a tool
  13. pop — music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. land — ground
  21. pop — soda
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. land — to come down
  24. mouse — the animal

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