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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bass — low music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. track — a song
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — for money
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bank — for money
  10. bore — to tire
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bound — certain
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bound — obliged
  18. track — to keep track
  19. branch — a division
  20. track — a path
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bound — tied together

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