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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: kick · face · bank · roll · spring · ball · bay · craft

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. kick — in football
  5. ball — a great time
  6. roll — a cake
  7. face — to confront
  8. craft — boats
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a skill
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bank — of a river
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. face — part of the head
  17. roll — a list
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. face — to point toward
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — of water
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kick — a thrill

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