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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 best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cold — an illness
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to click
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cold — not warm
  24. safe — a strongbox

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