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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: drill · can · dip · cabinet · season · foot · bass · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. dip — to sink
  3. season — of the year
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bass — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. drill — army training
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. club — a group
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. club — for dancing
  15. season — in sport
  16. bass — low music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. can — a tin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. can — a tin
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. drill — a practice
  24. foot — the bottom

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