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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stock — goods
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. staff — employees
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cell — in biology
  23. fork — in a road
  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