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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. game — wild animals
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a match
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. prune — to trim
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pass — to succeed

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