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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. can — a tin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — the time now
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — a gift
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. can — to be able to
  16. present — there
  17. row — to paddle
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. row — a line
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. deal — to handle
  24. can — a tin

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