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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · bore · bank · lash · shower · game · rush · craft

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bank — for money
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. shower — rain
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — for money
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. craft — boats

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