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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: date · march · stand · squash · suit · pit · bank · present

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. suit — to fit
  6. present — a gift
  7. squash — to crush
  8. present — the time now
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. suit — in cards
  13. march — music
  14. present — there
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pit — a hole
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. march — the month
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. march — the month
  24. date — on the calendar

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