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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: squash · present · object · land · pit · deal · snap · bank

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. object — to protest
  7. land — a country
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. snap — to click
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pit — a hole
  18. land — to come down
  19. squash — to crush
  20. land — ground
  21. object — an aim
  22. present — the time now
  23. object — a thing
  24. deal — to handle

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