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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: nail · land · content · stand · pitcher · can · rest · bank

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — the amount
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rest — what's left
  10. land — a country
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. land — to come down
  16. rest — a break
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. content — happy
  20. land — ground
  21. bank — for money
  22. stand — to bear
  23. can — a tin
  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