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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: bowl · nail · mouse · arm · spring · suit · last · pop

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spring — the season
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. last — finally
  10. suit — clothes
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. spring — of water
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — music
  18. last — final
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spring — a coil
  24. last — to go on

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