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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spring — of water
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. spring — the season
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. spring — a coil
  23. foot — part of the body
  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