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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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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: deal · racket · bank · hand · bat · dip · rock · hide

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bank — for money
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. hand — help
  6. rock — a stone
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. hand — in cards
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bat — the animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. dip — to sink
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hand — part of the body

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