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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mate — a partner
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rash — hasty
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rash — a series
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — soda

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