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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stock — goods
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — for betting
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — in football

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