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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · fine · game · rock · tube · nail · bank · pitch

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — music
  3. game — wild animals
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bank — for money
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tube — a container
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bank — of a river

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