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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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: lean · bank · mate · fine · ball · pitch · chip · squash

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — thin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. chip — for betting
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. squash — the sport
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fine — a penalty

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