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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cold — an illness
  14. lean — thin
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cell — in a prison

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