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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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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: bay · march · fork · kick · spring · bank · pitch · cabinet

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. march — the month
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. kick — in football
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — in a road
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. march — the month
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. march — music
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spring — of water

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