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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bore — to tire
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. net — in sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — after costs
  14. chip — for betting
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. cue — a hint
  22. net — for catching
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bank — for money

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