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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 116 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: bore · pound · ball · spring · lash · bank · stand · sharp

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a great time

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