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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bat — the animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. can — a tin
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. row — a line
  14. pass — a permit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. race — humankind
  17. field — for sport
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. field — a subject
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. race — a contest
  23. field — farmland
  24. race — the arms race

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