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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · bear · fine · swing · mine · bank · chair · can

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. bore — to drill
  4. swing — to play on
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bank — for money
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. swing — music
  14. mine — for digging
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. can — to be able to
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. can — a tin

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