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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. present — a gift
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bank — for money
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. craft — boats
  8. bound — tied together
  9. present — there
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — certain
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. present — the time now

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