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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: row · ball · wake · bank · content · bowl · arm · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. row — a line
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ball — a dance
  6. content — the amount
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. row — to paddle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. content — happy
  15. wake — a trail
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bank — for money
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bank — of a river

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