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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stand — to bear
  9. board — to get on
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pitch — completely
  15. board — a committee
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wax — in the ear

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