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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. spring — the season
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bank — of a river
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bank — for money
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. spring — of water
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bank — for money
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — clothes
  18. foot — a measure
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. wound — an injury
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cabinet — ministers

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