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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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Word bank
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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: pitch · bear · branch · bank · racket · rush · suit · pitcher

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rush — hurry
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. branch — a division
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. suit — to fit
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitch — a sports field

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