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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 116 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: spring · bore · leaves · band · season · bear · plane · bank

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. plane — a tool
  7. band — a music group
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spring — of water
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — of the year
  15. spring — the season
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bore — to tire
  19. season — in sport
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. spring — a coil
  24. band — a ring

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