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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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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 · wound · bank · date · roll · firm · coach · bore

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bank — for money
  7. mark — a grade
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — of a river
  10. firm — a company
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — steady
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. firm — decided
  16. bore — to drill
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bank — for money
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — a trace

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