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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: roll · bowl · lean · bore · rush · leaves · lash · mouse

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. roll — a cake
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lean — thin
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rush — hurry
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. roll — a list

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