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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.

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: bank · mate · roll · saw · pit · pop · racket · bass

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pop — soda
  4. saw — the tool
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pit — in a race
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bank — of a river
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — low music
  11. roll — a list
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pop — music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bank — for money
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — the fish
  24. racket — a loud noise

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