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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bank — of a river
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wax — to grow
  5. present — there
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — a safe
  8. present — a gift
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. snap — to click
  12. march — the month
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bound — certain
  17. march — the month
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. present — the time now
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bound — tied together
  24. march — 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