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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. season — of the year
  5. bank — for money
  6. present — the time now
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mate — a friend
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — of a river
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. season — in sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mate — a partner
  22. present — there
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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