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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: mouse · bowl · squash · object · bank · calf · land · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — ground
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. object — a thing
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — an aim
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — to crush
  21. object — to protest
  22. bank — of a river
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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