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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pit — in a race
  10. board — to get on
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fine — all right
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bank — for money
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. board — a committee
  24. fine — high quality

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