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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: mark · game · roll · bore · shower · bank · pass · staff

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bore — to tire
  4. roll — a cake
  5. shower — rain
  6. roll — a list
  7. staff — employees
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bank — for money
  11. game — a match
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bank — of a river
  16. game — wild animals
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bank — for money
  22. staff — employees
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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