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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. land — to come down
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bank — for money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bat — the animal
  10. land — ground
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. band — a music group
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. land — a country
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. band — a ring
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. coach — a trainer

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