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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. staff — employees
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bank — for money
  6. snap — to click
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. staff — a stick
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — a permit
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. staff — employees
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pass — to spend time

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