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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: sharp · jam · rest · scale · pit · bear · racket · bank

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pit — a hole
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bank — for money
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pit — in a race
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. scale — in music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bear — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. sharp — with an edge

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