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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — a practice
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fine — all right
  20. bank — for money
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fine — a penalty

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