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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pass — a permit
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. object — an aim
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. object — to protest
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitch — completely
  18. object — a thing
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bank — for money

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