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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ball — a dance
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ball — a great time
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bank — of a river
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stem — of a plant

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