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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: band · bank · pit · kick · rash · present · root · pitcher

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — the cause
  3. pit — in a race
  4. kick — in football
  5. present — the time now
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. present — a gift
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rash — hasty
  14. root — of a word
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. rash — a series
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. present — there

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