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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. present — there
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pitch — completely
  7. present — the time now
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. present — a gift
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cell — in biology
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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