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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: roll · pit · bank · date · arm · season · mug · net

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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. pit — a fruit stone
  4. season — in sport
  5. roll — a cake
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pit — in a race
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — a face
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. net — after costs
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — in sport
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bank — of a river
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pit — a hole
  23. roll — a list
  24. season — of the year

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