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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: can · pitcher · fan · swing · trunk · mark · stock · bank

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — for money
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bank — of a river
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. stock — shares
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. swing — in golf
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. stock — goods
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — a supporter

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