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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 · pitcher · wave · present · tube · safe · net · jam

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. tube — a container
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. present — a gift
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — in sport
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. present — the time now
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. net — for catching
  22. tube — the underground
  23. net — after costs
  24. wave — of the sea

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