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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: pitcher · staff · roll · file · club · safe · court · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. roll — a cake
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — for money
  8. staff — a stick
  9. court — of law
  10. file — a tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. court — of a king
  16. file — a document
  17. court — for sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a list
  22. club — for golf
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — a jug

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