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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rash — a series
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bore — to tire
  6. snap — to click
  7. spell — letters
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spell — magic
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — for money
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — obliged

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