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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rash — hasty
  7. kick — in football
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. game — wild animals
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. game — a match
  24. bore — to drill

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