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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. present — a gift
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. present — the time now
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — there
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. chest — a box
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — happy
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. chest — of your body
  20. deal — to handle
  21. staff — employees
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. staff — a stick

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