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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. game — wild animals
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bank — for money
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bear — the animal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. tube — a container
  12. bear — the animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. staff — employees
  17. game — a match
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bank — of a river
  24. staff — employees

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