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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — farmland
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wound — an injury
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. field — for sport
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pass — a permit
  20. field — a subject
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wave — of the sea

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