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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · fork · wound · bark · fan · racket · pass · bank

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — to shout
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bank — of a river
  24. racket — for tennis

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