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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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · bank · pit · spring · pitcher · firm · toast · mine

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. firm — steady
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. spring — the season
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mine — for digging
  14. squash — the sport
  15. firm — a company
  16. toast — bread
  17. spring — a coil
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. spring — of water
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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