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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. staff — employees
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. content — happy
  10. suit — clothes
  11. content — the amount
  12. drill — the tool
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. drill — army training
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bank — of a river

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