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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · ball · bank · chip · firm · arm · pitcher · mate

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mark — a trace
  6. firm — steady
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mate — a friend
  13. chip — to eat
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. firm — decided
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. chip — for betting

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