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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. court — for sport
  8. mug — a face
  9. stand — to bear
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — a group
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. club — for dancing
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. snap — to click
  22. roll — a list
  23. club — for golf
  24. bore — to tire

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