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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lean — to bend
  3. chip — for betting
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lean — thin
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pop — soda
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. chip — to eat
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rash — a series
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — music
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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