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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.

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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rash — a series
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bank — for money

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