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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. season — of the year
  9. fork — in a road
  10. net — after costs
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — steady
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pit — a hole
  18. scale — size or range
  19. net — in sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bear — to put up with

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