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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · spring · racket · press · bowl · bank · lash · calf

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. spell — a short time
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. press — a publisher
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — newspapers
  12. spring — a coil
  13. press — to push
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. spell — letters
  18. bank — of a river
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. spell — magic
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. lash — an eyelash

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