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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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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: bank · bound · race · bass · cabinet · leaves · pass · field

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. race — a contest
  4. field — farmland
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. race — the arms race
  7. field — a subject
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bank — for money
  11. bass — low music
  12. field — for sport
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — a permit
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bound — certain
  23. race — humankind
  24. pass — to succeed

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