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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. firm — steady
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. firm — a company
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. firm — decided
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. bass — low music

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