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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 120 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: court · bore · nail · fine · present · tube · pop · bank

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. court — of a king
  4. pop — music
  5. court — of law
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bank — for money
  8. present — there
  9. bore — to tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. present — a gift
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. present — the time now
  15. court — for sport
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fine — all right
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fine — high quality

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