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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. suit — to fit
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. club — a group
  9. last — to go on
  10. pound — a weight
  11. content — happy
  12. bank — of a river
  13. content — the amount
  14. last — final
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. club — for golf
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. last — finally
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. club — for dancing

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