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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stem — to come from
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. drill — army training
  9. chip — to eat
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pass — a permit
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mate — to breed
  22. chip — for betting
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fan — a supporter

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