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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bank — for money
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. kick — in football
  6. bank — for money
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mark — a trace
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bank — of a river
  13. can — a tin
  14. cap — a hat
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — for digging
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. kick — a thrill

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