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

Word bank: bank · mark · can · file · pitcher · suit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mark — a trace
  6. can — a tin
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — to be able to
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. suit — to fit
  16. file — a document
  17. suit — clothes
  18. can — a tin

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