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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. season — in sport
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ground — crushed
  7. firm — steady
  8. season — of the year
  9. ground — a position
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. firm — a company
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — government
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — decided
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — a law

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