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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — the fish
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bank — for money
  12. rule — government
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. suit — to fit
  18. last — final
  19. bank — for money
  20. rule — a law
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. last — finally
  23. bass — low music
  24. bowl — a football final

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