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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bank — for money
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mine — for digging
  9. kid — child
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wound — an injury
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mate — a partner

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