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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: hand · mug · mate · wound · jam · bank · bore · dip

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. hand — in cards
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mug — a face
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bore — to drill
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bank — for money
  24. hand — help

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