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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rash — hasty
  4. toast — bread
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. degree — from a university
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bank — for money
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — a series
  22. degree — an amount
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bank — for money

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