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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pitch — completely
  4. present — the time now
  5. land — ground
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. land — to come down
  10. spell — letters
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bank — for money
  13. pop — music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pop — soda
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spell — a short time
  19. present — there
  20. land — a country
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. spell — magic

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