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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bank — for money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — the underground
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — a container
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitch — completely
  21. hand — help
  22. rush — hurry
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bay — a horse colour

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