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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: wound · pitcher · bank · can · ball · bay · bark · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — a tin
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — a tin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bank — for money

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