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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. root — of a word
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — happy
  13. root — of a plant
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bank — of a river
  17. content — the amount
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. root — the cause
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. kid — child
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bear — the animal

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