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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 116 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bound — tied together
  7. tube — the underground
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tube — a container
  14. bound — certain
  15. stock — goods
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. season — of the year
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stock — shares

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