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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: pop · firm · jam · pitch · bass · mine · can · bank

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pop — music
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. can — to be able to
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — a company
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bank — for money
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — decided
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pop — soda
  24. jam — a tight spot

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