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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. band — a music group
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a ring
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bank — of a river
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. present — the time now
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. swing — to play on
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — a stone
  19. dip — to sink
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. dip — a sauce

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