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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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: craft · bound · fine · bank · root · pitch · wound · arm

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — certain
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fine — high quality
  13. root — the cause
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — obliged
  17. root — of a word
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fine — all right
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pitch — completely
  22. craft — boats
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. arm — part of the body

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