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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bass — low music
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. spring — of water
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spring — the season
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bore — to drill
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bowl — a dish

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