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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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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bank — of a river
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. last — finally
  5. last — final
  6. saw — the tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. race — the arms race
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. race — humankind
  11. kick — in football
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. last — to go on
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pass — a permit
  21. race — a contest
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bank — for money

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