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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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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bank — for money
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. last — final
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. last — to go on
  9. can — to be able to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. bank — of a river
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. last — finally
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bore — to tire
  23. can — a tin
  24. fork — to eat with

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