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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. game — a match
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pitch — completely
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bank — for money
  14. game — wild animals
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. chip — to eat
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. row — a line
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. date — the fruit
  24. game — a kind of play

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