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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fine — all right
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ball — a dance
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. sharp — exactly

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