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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 124 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. game — a match
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bank — of a river
  9. object — a thing
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wound — an injury
  14. object — to protest
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. object — an aim
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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