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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cell — a phone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. bound — certain
  10. rock — music
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fine — all right
  24. pass — a permit

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