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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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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: spring · bay · tear · pass · coach · bank · race · fine

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fine — all right
  12. race — humankind
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. race — a contest
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. tear — from crying
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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