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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: bank · pit · bear · wave · rush · bat · stick · can

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bat — the animal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. can — a tin
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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