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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — of water
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — electric
  15. shower — rain
  16. bank — for money
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. shower — to wash
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. current — happening now
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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