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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: dip · stock · bank · safe · ball · pitch · game · rash

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rash — hasty
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — a match
  14. dip — to sink
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rash — a series
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitch — completely

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