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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. firm — steady
  6. mark — a trace
  7. squash — to crush
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — a division
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mark — a grade
  12. spring — of water
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. saw — the tool
  20. firm — decided
  21. spring — the season
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mark — to pay attention

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