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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — for money
  5. wound — an injury
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. game — a match
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — rain
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. shower — to wash
  24. game — a kind of play

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