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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: bank · can · ball · rash · bay · march · trunk · pitcher

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. march — the month
  6. rash — a series
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bank — for money
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. march — the month
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. can — a tin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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