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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bank — for money
  10. drill — the tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. drill — army training
  16. bank — of a river
  17. snap — to click
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — to recline
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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