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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. content — happy
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pitch — completely
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. content — the amount
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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