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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: firm · stick · bank · craft · bore · hand · bat · present

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — a gift
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. present — there
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. firm — a company
  11. bank — for money
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. firm — decided
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — steady
  19. hand — help
  20. present — the time now
  21. bank — of a river
  22. craft — a skill
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. craft — boats

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