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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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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: pass · content · cabinet · date · bank · leaves · wound · toast

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. toast — bread
  6. content — the amount
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bank — for money
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — a permit
  18. content — happy
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — the most admired

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