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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: hand · pop · bowl · ball · fan · board · rash · bank

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — to get on
  8. pop — soda
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bank — of a river
  14. board — a committee
  15. pop — music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rash — a series
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hand — help
  20. bank — for money
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rash — on the skin

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