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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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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bank — for money
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bass — low music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. kick — in football
  13. cue — for pool
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. season — in sport
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bank — for money

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