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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a hat
  7. can — a tin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rash — a series
  11. cap — a lid
  12. wind — moving air
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lie — to recline
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — for money
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — to be able to
  23. rash — hasty
  24. jam — a tight spot

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