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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hand — help
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. content — the amount
  12. hand — in cards
  13. cold — not warm
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cold — an illness
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. content — happy
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bank — of a river

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