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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: safe · net · saw · bank · drill · pitcher · rule · bass

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. drill — army training
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — in sport
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. saw — the tool
  16. net — after costs
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rule — a law
  19. net — for catching
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. drill — the tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bass — the fish

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