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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: mouse · pass · rest · sharp · jam · bank · toast · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bank — for money
  10. toast — bread
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wound — an injury
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rest — a break
  23. wound — an injury
  24. sharp — clever

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