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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. track — a song
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. track — to keep track
  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