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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bank — for money
  6. wound — an injury
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bank — for money
  10. field — a subject
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pitch — completely
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. tube — a container
  18. field — farmland
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. field — for sport
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tube — in a tire

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