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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: pitcher · pass · calf · net · root · suit · court · bank

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of law
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — the cause
  13. court — of a king
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. root — of a plant
  16. net — after costs
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. net — for catching
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. court — for sport

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