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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: pit · last · jam · suit · bank · game · deal · nail

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — for money
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pit — in a race
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. last — to go on
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — a hole
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — a match
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bank — for money
  17. last — final
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bank — of a river
  23. game — wild animals
  24. last — finally

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