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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: racket · spell · bark · mouse · pit · bowl · roll · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pit — in a race
  12. roll — a list
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spell — magic
  16. roll — a cake
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spell — letters
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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