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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bat · pitcher · chip · jam · bank · safe · lie · row

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. chip — for betting
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — to eat
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. lie — an untruth

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