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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fall — the season
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. firm — decided
  8. bat — the animal
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fine — all right
  13. capital — a city
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fall — to drop
  16. firm — a company
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bank — of a river
  19. firm — steady
  20. capital — money
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bank — for money
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stem — of a plant

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