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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cap — a lid
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mug — a face
  7. firm — steady
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mug — to rob
  10. firm — a company
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bank — of a river
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. bank — for money
  16. firm — decided
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bank — for money

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