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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. last — to go on
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — a position
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. last — finally
  10. last — final
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — a container
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pass — a permit
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wound — an injury
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bank — for money

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