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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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Word bank
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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. spell — magic
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bank — for money
  7. charge — electricity
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rash — a series
  11. charge — a price
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bank — for money
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. root — the cause
  16. game — a match
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rash — hasty
  19. root — of a word
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — in control
  22. spell — letters
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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