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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. spring — of water
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. spring — the season
  10. bank — for money
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. object — a thing
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bank — for money
  16. roll — a list
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. object — an aim
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. object — to protest
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. roll — on a roll

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