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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — a safe
  4. race — humankind
  5. net — after costs
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — in sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. race — a contest
  24. pitch — completely

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