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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 120 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: bass · pop · wake · march · bark · bore · suit · bowl

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pop — music
  12. march — music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bass — low music
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. march — the month
  24. pop — soda

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