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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cold — not warm
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. firm — a company
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — steady
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. firm — decided
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cold — an illness

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