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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. drill — a practice
  3. toast — bread
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pass — a permit
  7. drill — the tool
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pop — music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — army training
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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