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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. land — a country
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stand — to bear
  13. land — to come down
  14. spring — of water
  15. land — ground
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rush — hurry
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pit — in a race

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