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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. net — after costs
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. net — in sport
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. net — for catching
  8. object — a thing
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bore — to drill
  14. object — to protest
  15. mine — for digging
  16. object — an aim
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — to roll

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