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

Word bank: pit · present · wave · bank · bear · nail · pitcher · rule

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. present — a gift
  7. rule — government
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. present — there
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. present — the time now
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pitcher — a jug

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