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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — a grade
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bank — of a river
  11. capital — a city
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fine — all right
  22. bank — for money
  23. capital — money
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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