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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. court — of law
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. court — for sport
  19. squash — the sport
  20. tear — to rip
  21. deal — to handle
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. can — to be able to
  24. deal — an agreement

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