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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. squash — the sport
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bank — for money
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. shower — rain
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. squash — to crush
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wax — to grow

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