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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · bank · perch · firm · stick · bore · pop · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — a match
  3. pop — music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bank — of a river
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mine — for digging
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bore — to tire
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — decided
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pop — to visit
  21. firm — a company
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pop — soda

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