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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. cap — of ice
  12. foot — a measure
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. roll — a list
  17. face — to confront
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cap — a hat
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rock — a stone
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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