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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rest — what's left
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — what's left
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stand — to bear
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitch — completely
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stand — on your feet

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