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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bank — for money
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bank — for money
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. land — a country
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bore — to drill
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. land — to come down
  12. object — a thing
  13. pass — a permit
  14. object — an aim
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bank — of a river
  20. band — a music group
  21. object — to protest
  22. row — a line
  23. land — ground
  24. band — a ring

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