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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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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: band · sharp · suit · kid · can · bore · bank · nail

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a music group
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bore — to drill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. sharp — clever
  15. band — a ring
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. kid — child
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — for a hammer

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