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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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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: bound · bank · pop · pitch · cue · calf · lean · rush

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lean — thin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pop — music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bound — certain
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pop — soda
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cue — for pool

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