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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fine — all right
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. fine — high quality
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pitch — completely
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bank — of a river

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