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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 116 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: object · cabinet · march · bank · game · pass · hand · present

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. present — a gift
  3. game — wild animals
  4. march — music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. present — there
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — help
  10. present — the time now
  11. game — a match
  12. object — an aim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. object — a thing
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — a permit
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — to protest

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