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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: net · bay · lean · roll · ball · game · bank · suit

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. roll — a cake
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. lean — thin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. roll — a list
  17. suit — to fit
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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