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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: pitch · bank · current · deal · spell · lean · bore · key

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. lean — thin
  2. spell — magic
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pitch — completely
  7. spell — letters
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. key — in music
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. key — for a lock
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bank — for money
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bore — to drill
  23. key — the most important part
  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