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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: row · bound · bowl · plane · coach · bass · fine · game

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bound — obliged
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. game — wild animals
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. game — a match
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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