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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — the animal
  9. drill — army training
  10. saw — the tool
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mug — a face
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bank — for money
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. squash — to crush
  23. staff — employees
  24. pass — a permit

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