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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — a stone
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bank — of a river
  5. game — a match
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — for money
  9. branch — a division
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. content — the amount
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rock — music
  23. game — wild animals
  24. content — happy

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