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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: spell · wake · bass · coach · drill · club · bowl · rush

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. club — a group
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. drill — army training
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. club — for golf
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. club — for dancing
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wake — a trail
  18. spell — a short time
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  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