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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: stick · fine · pitch · hand · present · bank · bay · roll

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. present — a gift
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bank — for money
  8. present — the time now
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. hand — help
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — all right
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. present — there
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. hand — in cards
  20. roll — a list
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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