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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: mine · season · date · track · tear · bank · staff · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — for money
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bank — for money
  5. saw — the tool
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bank — of a river
  8. track — a song
  9. staff — employees
  10. season — in sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mine — for digging
  16. tear — to rip
  17. saw — the tool
  18. season — of the year
  19. track — a path
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. track — to keep track
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tear — from crying

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