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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: bore · row · straw · bank · stand · ball · squash · bowl

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bank — of a river
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bank — for money
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. row — a line
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. straw — a straw man

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