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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: ground · bat · roll · fall · firm · jam · club · bank

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. club — for golf
  3. ground — the earth
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bank — for money
  12. firm — decided
  13. club — a group
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — a company
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. roll — a cake
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ground — a position
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. firm — steady
  24. roll — a list

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