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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. object — to protest
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — a thing
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. board — to get on
  11. rest — a break
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — completely
  22. object — an aim
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bank — of a river

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