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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: trunk · pitcher · jam · bank · key · mug · arm · lean

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. key — the most important part
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bank — for money
  9. key — in music
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mug — a cup

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