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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. row — a line
  3. snap — to click
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. tube — the underground
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. tube — a container
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cap — a lid
  14. firm — a company
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. firm — steady
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. firm — decided
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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