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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: snap · bore · kick · bank · bowl · ruler · dip · wind

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. kick — in football
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wind — moving air
  11. snap — to click
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wind — moving air
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bank — of a river
  24. kick — a thrill

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