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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bank — for money
  3. wound — an injury
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. prune — to trim
  12. key — in music
  13. rest — a break
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rest — what's left

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