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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rest — a break
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. spell — magic
  9. rest — what's left
  10. land — a country
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — letters
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pass — a permit
  18. land — ground
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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