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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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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: rest · present · racket · leaves · drill · suit · bank · pitch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — army training
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. present — there
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — a break
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bank — for money
  17. pitch — completely
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. suit — clothes
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. racket — a loud noise

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