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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.

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 · rash · roll · temple · bank · net · racket · wound

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wound — an injury
  3. net — in sport
  4. roll — a list
  5. wound — an injury
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — for catching
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rash — a series
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rash — hasty
  19. net — after costs
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bore — to tire

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