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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bank — for money
  5. bat — the animal
  6. court — for sport
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a skill
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. date — the fruit
  13. court — of law
  14. object — a thing
  15. staff — employees
  16. bank — for money
  17. court — of a king
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. object — an aim
  20. bore — to drill
  21. craft — boats
  22. object — to protest
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bat — in an idiom

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