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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · last · bank · pitcher · march · safe · mug · chest

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — for money
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. last — to go on
  9. mug — to rob
  10. chest — of your body
  11. march — the month
  12. bank — for money
  13. chest — a box
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chest — of your body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. march — the month
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. safe — a strongbox

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