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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. spring — a coil
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. row — a line
  7. spring — the season
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — of water
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. chest — of your body
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chest — of your body
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. chest — a box
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bank — of a river

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