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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. present — a gift
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a line
  10. cold — an illness
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. present — there
  14. bear — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cold — not warm
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. present — the time now

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