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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 116 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mug — a cup
  8. kid — child
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mug — a face
  12. bank — for money
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — to protest
  15. band — a ring
  16. object — an aim
  17. band — a music group
  18. object — a thing
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cap — a hat

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