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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — a break
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. drill — the tool
  5. kick — in football
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bank — of a river
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a path
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wound — an injury
  18. drill — army training
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rest — what's left
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rest — what's left

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