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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · ball · bowl · rush · nail · coach · bank · mug

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mug — a cup
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mug — a face
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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