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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · pitch · chest · bank · tear · rest

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bank — of a river
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bank — for money
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — completely
  11. tear — from crying
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. chest — of your body
  18. tear — from crying

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