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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.

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: clip · ball · mouse · stock · coach · bank · spring · bore

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. spring — the season
  3. bank — of a river
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. spring — of water
  12. bore — to drill
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bank — for money
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a great time
  24. clip — to cut

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