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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: pit · key · rest · calf · net · foot · bank · march

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pit — a hole
  7. foot — a measure
  8. key — in music
  9. march — the month
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. net — after costs
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. net — in sport
  17. key — for a lock
  18. march — the month
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. net — for catching
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — the most important part

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