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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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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: pit · mouse · racket · pitch · mate · bank · kid · saw

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pit — in a race
  12. kid — child
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mate — a friend
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bank — for money

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