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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.

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: spring · net · stick · bowl · ball · stand · mine · lean

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stand — to bear
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. spring — the season
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lean — thin
  23. net — in sport
  24. stand — for spectators

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