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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — the earth
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bank — of a river
  7. swing — music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ground — a position
  11. bore — to drill
  12. march — the month
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ground — crushed
  17. march — music
  18. stand — to bear
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. march — the month
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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