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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pop — music
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pop — soda
  7. staff — employees
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. staff — a stick
  12. track — a song
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bank — for money
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rock — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. staff — employees
  21. ball — a dance
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rock — to move gently

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