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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bass — low music
  11. tube — a container
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — the earth
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ground — a position
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ground — crushed

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