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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 · pitch · drill · bay · bark · stock · bank · swing

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. stock — shares
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. drill — army training
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bark — to shout
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stock — goods
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bank — for money

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