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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 116 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: game · pitcher · bank · can · rest · present · deal · nail

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. can — to be able to
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. game — a match
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. present — the time now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rest — a break
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rest — what's left
  21. present — a gift
  22. rest — what's left
  23. present — there
  24. can — a tin

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