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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. roll — a list
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ground — the earth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ground — a position
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bank — of a river
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bank — for money
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bank — for money
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. roll — a cake
  24. coach — a trainer

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