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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bear — the animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  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