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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bank — of a river
  8. current — happening now
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. current — electric
  11. bank — for money
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. snap — to click
  17. bank — for money
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. current — of water
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bowl — a football final

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