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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fine — all right
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — a company
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. plane — a tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fine — high quality
  17. ground — a position
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — steady
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. firm — decided

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