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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 116 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: bay · lie · bore · spring · rush · can · saw · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. can — to be able to
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bass — the fish
  13. spring — a coil
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. spring — of water
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rush — hurry
  22. spring — the season
  23. can — a tin
  24. bore — to drill

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