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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.

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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: bank · saw · racket · bowl · club · prune · foot · row

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. foot — a measure
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. club — a group
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — to paddle
  7. club — for golf
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. saw — the tool
  11. row — a line
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. prune — to trim
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bank — for money
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. prune — to trim

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