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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. chest — a box
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. chest — of your body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bank — for money
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chest — of your body
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  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