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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 116 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: cap · race · racket · sharp · pitcher · deal · coach · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. cap — a lid
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cap — a hat
  7. deal — to handle
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. race — humankind
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. race — a contest
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bank — of a river
  23. coach — a trainer
  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