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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — to fit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. content — the amount
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. club — a group
  14. bore — to drill
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. club — for golf
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. hand — help
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. club — for dancing
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bank — for money

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