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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bank — for money
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. squash — to crush
  5. scale — in music
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. scale — size or range
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bank — of a river

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