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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bank — for money
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. spring — the season
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pitch — completely
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wound — an injury
  19. spring — of water
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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