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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 124 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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. cap — of ice
  4. prune — to trim
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. firm — steady
  7. race — a contest
  8. staff — a stick
  9. date — the fruit
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. race — the arms race
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. race — humankind
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — a company
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — employees
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. staff — employees

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