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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. toast — bread
  6. bank — of a river
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. staff — employees
  9. bank — for money
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. staff — employees
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. spring — of water
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bank — for money

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