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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
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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: foot · game · bank · mug · can · shower · season · spring

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bank — for money
  3. game — a match
  4. mug — a cup
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. season — of the year
  9. spring — of water
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mug — a face
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bank — of a river
  16. shower — to wash
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. spring — the season
  22. bank — for money
  23. shower — rain
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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