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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. trunk — of a tree
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bank — for money
  4. rash — hasty
  5. roll — a list
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rash — a series
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. craft — boats
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. roll — a cake
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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