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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitch — completely
  7. roll — a list
  8. wound — an injury
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — a company
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. firm — decided
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. roll — on a roll

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