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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: net · dip · bank · fan · hide · ball · jam · bore

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bore — to tire
  5. net — in sport
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ball — a great time
  9. net — after costs
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bank — for money
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bank — for money
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bore — to drill
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. net — for catching

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