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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: ball · racket · fork · last · bank · chest · rock · bore

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. ball — a great time
  18. last — final
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rock — music
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. last — finally
  24. last — to go on

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