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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: ball · hand · swing · track · bowl · bay · hide · bank

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. swing — music
  11. bank — of a river
  12. track — a song
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. track — a path
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. track — to keep track
  24. ball — a round shape

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