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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. ground — the earth
  5. staff — a stick
  6. ground — a position
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mate — to breed
  13. staff — employees
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bank — for money
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bank — for money
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bulb — of a plant

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