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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pop — soda
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. can — a tin
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ground — crushed
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ground — a position
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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