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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. snap — to click
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bank — for money
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. band — a music group
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bank — of a river
  19. game — a match
  20. club — for golf
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. band — a ring
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bore — to tire

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