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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: mine · pitch · staff · arm · bear · ground · wave · bank

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. staff — employees
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — a position
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. staff — employees
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bank — for money
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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