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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · pass · deal · bank · staff · row

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. staff — employees
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bank — for money
  8. row — to paddle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. row — a line
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bank — for money
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. deal — to handle
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — of a river

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