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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — for golf
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rest — a break
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cap — a hat
  13. degree — an amount
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — a group
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bank — of a river
  19. club — for dancing
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bank — for money

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