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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — a permit
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rule — a law
  8. tear — to rip
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — of a river
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rule — government
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bank — for money

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