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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 · pitcher · calf · fan · squash · roll · clip · suit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. suit — in cards
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — a cake
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. suit — to fit
  19. clip — a video
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. clip — to cut
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. clip — for paper

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