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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. bear — the animal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. date — the fruit
  14. can — a tin
  15. swing — music
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pass — a permit
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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