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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitch — completely
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bank — for money
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. ground — a position
  24. ruler — a monarch

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