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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. spring — of water
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bank — for money
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. roll — a cake
  9. suit — to fit
  10. march — music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. spring — a coil
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — clothes
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — a permit
  19. march — the month
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — in cards

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