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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pound — a weight
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. squash — the sport
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — to fit
  24. squash — to crush

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