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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: pit · bay · saw · bank · stand · row · foot · bore

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. row — a line
  4. bank — for money
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pit — in a race
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. saw — the tool
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stand — for spectators

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