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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: mine · staff · cell · snap · season · bank · hide · bore

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bore — to drill
  11. staff — employees
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bank — of a river
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cell — in biology
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cell — a phone

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