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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 116 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bore — to drill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bore — to tire
  12. net — for catching
  13. season — in sport
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bank — for money
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. net — after costs
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — of the year
  23. net — in sport
  24. bowl — a football final

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