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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — the fish
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. can — a tin
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bank — for money
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bank — of a river
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cap — a hat
  24. dip — to sink

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