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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · bank · perch · land · bat · leaves · mug · racket

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mug — a cup
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. land — to come down
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — the fish
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. land — a country
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. land — ground
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bat — the animal

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