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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: march · jam · pitch · kick · rest · season · fan · bank

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bank — of a river
  6. march — the month
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. march — the month
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. march — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bank — for money
  15. rest — a break
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — in sport
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rest — what's left
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. season — of the year
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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