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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — magic
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fine — high quality
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. spell — letters
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fine — all right
  13. spell — a short time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bass — low music
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — exactly

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