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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitch — completely
  6. staff — employees
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. staff — employees
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. track — a path
  20. pit — in a race
  21. track — to keep track
  22. staff — a stick
  23. track — a song
  24. arm — a part of something

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