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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bank — for money
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. tube — a container
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — hurry
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. season — of the year
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lean — to rest against

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