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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — certain
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mug — a face
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — of a river
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bank — for money
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wake — before a funeral

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