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

Word bank: bank · rush · wake · mouse · cap · bay · craft · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. craft — boats
  5. rush — hurry
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wake — a trail
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cap — a hat

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