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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bank — of a river
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pit — a hole
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. band — a music group
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. squash — the vegetable

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