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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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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. kick — in football
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bank — for money
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bank — for money
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. fan — a supporter
  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