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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: date · row · bore · lash · bat · bank · firm · patient

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bank — for money
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. firm — a company
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. firm — decided
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — steady
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. patient — a sick person

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