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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. dip — to sink
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bank — of a river
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rest — a break
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  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