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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. firm — a company
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. drill — army training
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. drill — the tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. firm — steady
  15. pitch — completely
  16. firm — decided
  17. bank — of a river
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pit — a hole
  20. key — in music
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. drill — a practice
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pit — in a race

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