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

Word bank: bore · mark · mate · fall · land · bear · bank · pit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bank — for money
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fall — the season
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mate — a friend
  23. land — a country
  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