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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: mine · cap · date · firm · pitch · bank · mouse · sharp

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — for digging
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a lid
  7. firm — steady
  8. date — the fruit
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. sharp — clever
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cap — of ice
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. cap — a hat

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