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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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. bank — of a river
  4. pop — music
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. file — a document
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. can — a tin
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pop — soda
  14. wound — an injury
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bank — for money
  21. tear — from crying
  22. file — a tool
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pop — to visit

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