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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: deal · bay · pass · ball · fine · racket · bore · bowl

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fine — all right
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ball — a great time
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. ball — a round shape

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