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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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 hat
  2. rock — a stone
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. ground — a position
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rock — music
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — of ice
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — hurry
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rush — to hurry
  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