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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 116 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: swing · bank · bore · can · wake · row · charge · band

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. swing — music
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bore — to tire
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a ring
  13. charge — electricity
  14. can — to be able to
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. can — a tin
  17. row — a line
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. charge — in control
  20. band — a music group
  21. charge — a price
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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