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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bank — for money
  4. track — a song
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. current — of water
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cell — a phone
  10. spell — magic
  11. current — electric
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. spell — letters
  18. pitch — completely
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. track — a path
  24. current — happening now

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