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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 116 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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to drill
  4. net — for catching
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — after costs
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rash — a series
  17. can — a tin
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. net — in sport
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — a signal
  24. can — to be able to

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