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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. band — a ring
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bank — for money
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. game — wild animals
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bore — to tire
  16. band — a music group
  17. firm — decided
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to click
  22. game — a match
  23. coach — a trainer
  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