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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. last — final
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bank — for money
  15. last — finally
  16. pass — a permit
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. last — to go on
  22. bank — of a river
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bank — for money

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