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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. court — of law
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bore — to tire
  12. toast — bread
  13. bore — to drill
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. court — for sport
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. court — of a king
  19. squash — to crush
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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