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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.

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: pitch · bank · wind · mark · season · trunk · can · nail

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. season — in sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. season — of the year
  10. can — a tin
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. trunk — of a car

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