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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 120 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: club · bank · pitch · cap · track · stem · pitcher · chip

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. club — a group
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. pitch — completely
  13. track — a song
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chip — to eat
  20. club — for golf
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — of a river

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