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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rest — a break
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. charge — electricity
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. game — wild animals
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — a permit
  17. game — a match
  18. ground — the earth
  19. charge — in control
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bank — of a river
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. charge — a price

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