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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. march — music
  2. fine — high quality
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. net — after costs
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. march — the month
  23. racket — for tennis
  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