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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitch — completely
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. pound — a weight
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rest — a break
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. club — a group
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lean — thin
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. club — for golf
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lean — to bend
  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