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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mate — a friend
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. swing — music
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bank — of a river
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitch — completely
  12. net — after costs
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lean — thin
  19. swing — in golf
  20. net — for catching
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mate — a partner

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