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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. march — the month
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. march — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. march — the month
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mark — a trace
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of a tree

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