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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rash — hasty
  3. staff — employees
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — a series
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bank — for money
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bank — for money
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — employees
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitch — completely
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. hand — in cards
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bank — of a river
  24. suit — in cards

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