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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — to eat
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lie — to recline
  8. spell — a short time
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bank — of a river
  16. cap — a lid
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — magic

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