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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: bank · pitcher · season · cabinet · chip · saw · dip · fine

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — all right
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. season — of the year
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — in sport
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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