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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 120 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: bank · chest · can · craft · foot · ball · pass · pitch

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. craft — a skill
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bank — for money
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bank — of a river
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a dance
  21. can — a tin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitch — a sports field

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