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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cold — an illness
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cold — not warm
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mug — a face
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pass — to succeed

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