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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bank — for money
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. charge — in control
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — to shout
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. charge — a price
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. court — of law
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mug — a face
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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