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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. net — in sport
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. net — for catching
  4. pass — a permit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. snap — to click
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. net — after costs
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — the tool
  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