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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: pitcher · bass · bank · bound · racket · fan · pit · drill

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bank — for money
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. drill — the tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitcher — a jug

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