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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wind — moving air
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mark — a trace
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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