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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. scale — in music
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cap — a lid
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bank — of a river
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rash — on the skin

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