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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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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: bowl · fork · hide · bank · capital · racket · bear · roll

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. capital — money
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bank — for money
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. roll — a cake
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fork — in a road
  16. capital — a city
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bear — the animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bear — to put up with

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