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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bank — of a river
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — a country
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bank — for money
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rash — a series
  16. ball — a dance
  17. land — ground
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. land — to come down
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cap — a lid

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