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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: stick · bank · suit · last · wake · court · ground · bore

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bank — for money
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. suit — to fit
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bore — to drill
  10. court — of a king
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. last — finally
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ground — a position
  17. court — for sport
  18. last — final
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. court — of law

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