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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bank — of a river
  6. content — happy
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fall — the season
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mark — a grade
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. staff — a stick
  14. content — the amount
  15. ball — a dance
  16. staff — employees
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bank — for money
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. staff — employees
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — to tire

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