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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: lie · bass · bowl · cold · cue · bore · object · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — low music
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — a hint
  7. object — a thing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bank — for money
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — to protest
  18. lie — to recline
  19. object — an aim
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cold — the Cold War

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