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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 · leaves · dip · toast · bank · rest · kid

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bass — the fish
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bank — of a river
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. kid — to tease
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kid — child
  19. bank — for money
  20. bass — low music
  21. toast — bread
  22. rest — a break
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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