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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cap — a lid
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — for money
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cap — of ice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. hide — animal skin

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