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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 120 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: wind · nail · bore · pop · file · safe · bank · wake

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pop — soda
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. file — a document
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bank — for money
  12. pop — music
  13. file — a tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. file — a line of people
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bank — of a river

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