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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — an aim
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. object — a thing
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bat — the animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. object — to protest

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