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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitch — completely
  4. deal — to handle
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — magic
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. can — a tin
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bark — to shout
  23. can — a tin
  24. spell — letters

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