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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chip — for betting
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. present — there
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. firm — steady
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — decided
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pitch — completely

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