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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: stand · bowl · racket · bay · spring · can · straw · land

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. can — to be able to
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. land — ground
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. land — to come down
  15. spring — of water
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. land — a country
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. can — a tin

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