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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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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: leaves · pitch · bank · rock · pop · lean · game · track

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. track — to keep track
  3. game — a match
  4. bank — of a river
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitch — completely
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pop — to visit
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rock — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pop — music
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. track — a song
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pop — soda
  22. track — a path
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bank — for money

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