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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: straw · bore · deal · bank · ground · mate · scale · chair

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — to tire
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bank — for money
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ground — crushed
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mate — a partner
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bank — for money
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ground — a position
  20. scale — in music
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bank — of a river

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