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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. band — a music group
  7. bank — for money
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wake — a trail
  11. season — of the year
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. band — a ring
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. season — in sport

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