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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bank — for money
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. date — the fruit

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