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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: fan · kick · swing · bore · bank · season · ball · bowl

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. bank — for money
  3. season — in sport
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. swing — to play on
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — of a river
  13. season — of the year
  14. kick — in football
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bank — for money
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. swing — music
  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