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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · plane · can · nail · bank · prune · pitch · ball

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. can — a tin
  7. kid — child
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — to tease
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sports field

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