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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · sharp · board · tube · bank · wind · pit · cabinet

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — of a river
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. tube — a container
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bank — for money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wind — to turn a key

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