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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.

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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: lean · net · stand · bank · mate · pitcher · arm · ball

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mate — a friend
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mate — a partner
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bank — of a river
  8. net — for catching
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lean — thin
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bank — for money
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ball — a great time
  24. net — after costs

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