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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: roll · suit · firm · bank · land · can · hide · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. roll — a cake
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. roll — a list
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bank — of a river
  11. can — a tin
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — to fit
  14. firm — steady
  15. suit — clothes
  16. land — ground
  17. suit — in cards
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. firm — decided
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. firm — a company

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