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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. club — for dancing
  5. firm — a company
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bank — for money
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — steady
  12. pitch — completely
  13. club — a group
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bank — of a river
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. firm — decided
  18. pitch — a sports field

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