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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. spring — the season
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bank — for money
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. squash — the sport
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. march — the month
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. squash — to crush

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