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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mine — for digging
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — in cards
  11. board — a committee
  12. ball — a dance
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cue — for pool
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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