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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pitch — completely
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. saw — the tool
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. foot — a measure
  11. row — a line
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. row — to paddle
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. saw — the tool

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