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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. stock — shares
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to drill
  10. track — a song
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bore — to tire
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stock — goods
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stock — a soup base

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