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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: mate · pass · firm · bank · shower · staff · plane · net

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. staff — employees
  5. net — in sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — decided
  11. shower — to wash
  12. staff — employees
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. firm — a company
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. net — for catching
  22. staff — a stick
  23. firm — steady
  24. net — after costs

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