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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: lean · pitch · hand · rock · game · club · bank · fan

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. game — a match
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bank — of a river
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. lean — thin
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bank — for money
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. club — for dancing
  23. hand — help
  24. bank — for money

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