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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: leaves · dip · object · bank · row · cabinet · net · bore

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. net — for catching
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. row — a line
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. net — after costs
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bore — to drill
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. net — in sport

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