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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — a permit
  4. spell — letters
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bass — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — to handle
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bank — for money
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bank — of a river
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bass — low music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. nail — for a hammer

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