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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. shower — to wash
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. spell — letters
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. object — an aim
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spell — magic
  18. object — a thing
  19. pit — a hole
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. shower — rain
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pass — a permit
  24. object — to protest

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