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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — a position
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mate — a friend
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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