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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bank — for money
  3. bass — low music
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pitch — completely
  11. chair — a leader
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pop — music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bank — for money
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pop — soda
  20. branch — a division
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. chair — a professorship

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