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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: pitch · bank · rest · cell · mine · toast · mark · tear

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mark — a trace
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bank — of a river
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rest — a break
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cell — a phone
  22. toast — bread
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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