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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: bank · bass · board · mine · bore · suit · degree · dip

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bass — low music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mine — for digging
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. board — a committee
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — to drill
  20. degree — from a university
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bass — the fish
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — clothes

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