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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chip — for betting
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. saw — the tool
  24. prune — the fruit

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