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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 120 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bank — of a river
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bank — for money
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cap — a hat
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mark — a trace
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rock — music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rock — a stone
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cap — a lid

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