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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 · sharp · bank · hand · wound · bulb · safe · jam

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — of a river
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hand — help
  14. bank — for money
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bulb — for light
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. sharp — clever

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