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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bank — for money
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pass — a permit
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rest — what's left

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