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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: bank · swing · coach · bay · cabinet · date · bore · roll

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. roll — a cake
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bore — to drill
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. date — the fruit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bank — for money
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — to play on
  15. roll — a list
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — for money
  23. swing — music
  24. date — on the calendar

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