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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. branch — a division
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. last — final
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. race — a contest
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. can — a tin
  19. race — humankind
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bank — for money
  24. last — to go on

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