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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — a break
  3. scale — size or range
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. scale — in music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. swing — in golf
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. season — in sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — completely
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. swing — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bank — of a river
  24. leaves — of a tree

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