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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — to handle
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — for money
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — for a hammer

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