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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: suit · current · pitcher · wake · bank · track · degree · pitch

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. degree — temperature
  5. track — a song
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wake — a trail
  11. track — a path
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. suit — to fit
  17. current — of water
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bank — for money
  21. degree — an amount
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pitch — completely
  24. current — electric

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