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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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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: pit · present · suit · ground · bank · deal · squash · object

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. present — a gift
  4. ground — the earth
  5. object — to protest
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — to crush
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. object — a thing
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. object — an aim
  23. pit — in a race
  24. suit — clothes

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