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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 120 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: craft · spring · bore · arm · bowl · leaves · bank · content

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. craft — boats
  6. content — the amount
  7. spring — the season
  8. bore — to tire
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bore — to drill
  12. spring — of water
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. content — happy
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. arm — a part of something

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