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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — for money
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. foot — a measure
  7. firm — a company
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bank — for money
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. shower — to wash
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. shower — rain
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bank — of a river

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