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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — clothes
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kid — to tease
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — to fit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kid — child

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