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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: sharp · racket · bank · cap · game · pop · bore · rush

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bank — for money
  6. game — wild animals
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bank — for money
  9. sharp — clever
  10. game — a match
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pop — music
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pop — soda
  24. racket — for tennis

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