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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · bay · lie · wound · bass · bore · scale · net

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bass — the fish
  4. scale — in music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. net — for catching
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bore — to tire
  10. scale — size or range
  11. lie — to recline
  12. net — in sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. kid — child
  15. bass — low music
  16. bore — to drill
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. net — after costs
  21. wound — an injury
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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