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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bank — for money
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a music group
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. season — of the year
  11. tear — from crying
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. band — a ring
  17. season — in sport
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cue — for pool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. tear — to rip
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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