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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 · cap · cell · bay · row · pass · mine · tube

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tube — a container
  7. row — a line
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. cap — a lid
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — a hat
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — a phone

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