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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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468
Word bank
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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: bowl · prune · ball · sharp · hide · pass · mark · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mark — a trace
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ball — a great time
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bank — for money

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