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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pop — soda
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mate — to breed
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — a container
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bank — of a river
  20. branch — a division
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. branch — of a bank

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