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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. present — the time now
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. race — a contest
  11. ball — a dance
  12. race — humankind
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. shower — rain
  15. bank — for money
  16. shower — to wash
  17. race — the arms race
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. present — a gift
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — there

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