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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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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bore — to tire
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rock — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — shares
  20. lie — to recline
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stock — goods
  24. file — a document

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