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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitch — completely
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a music group
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. band — a ring
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bank — for money
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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