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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 120 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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pop — music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pop — soda
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bank — for money
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bank — of a river
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mine — for digging
  24. safe — out of danger

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