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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: ball · pit · suit · last · spring · bank · bore · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bank — of a river
  6. spring — of water
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. suit — clothes
  9. last — finally
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — final
  21. spring — a coil
  22. last — to go on
  23. spring — the season
  24. pit — in a race

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