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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — employees
  15. hand — help
  16. staff — employees
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rush — to hurry

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