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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bound — certain
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cap — a lid
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bank — for money
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. capital — money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — of a river

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