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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: present · deal · march · wake · bank · sharp · pitcher · mug

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. march — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. present — there
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. march — the month
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. march — the month
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mug — a face

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