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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: arm · bay · bank · rest · content · bore · capital · firm

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. content — happy
  4. capital — money
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rest — a break
  12. content — the amount
  13. firm — steady
  14. rest — what's left
  15. firm — a company
  16. rest — what's left
  17. firm — decided
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. capital — a city
  20. bank — for money
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bank — of a river
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bank — for money

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