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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · bore · staff · bank · mouse · mate · pop · drill

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mate — a friend
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bass — low music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. staff — employees
  9. bore — to drill
  10. drill — army training
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — soda
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bore — gave birth

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