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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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. capital — a city
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitch — completely
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ground — a position
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. snap — to click
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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