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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. bank — for money
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. game — a match
  9. march — the month
  10. bank — for money
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pop — to visit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pop — music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. fine — a penalty

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