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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. bank — for money
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — thin
  7. land — a country
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitch — completely
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. deal — to handle

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