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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bank — of a river
  5. present — the time now
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — for money
  11. fall — the season
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. present — there
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. spell — magic
  20. bank — for money
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — a gift
  24. ground — a position

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