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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: fan · bank · rush · pitch · mug · sharp · date · present

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. present — a gift
  7. date — the fruit
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rush — hurry
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. present — the time now
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bank — of a river
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mug — a cup
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — there
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mug — a face

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