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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 116 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: coach · deal · object · bore · drill · court · lash · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — to drill
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bank — of a river
  9. drill — army training
  10. deal — to handle
  11. object — an aim
  12. court — for sport
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. object — a thing
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — to protest
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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