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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — a path
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cap — of ice
  19. prune — to trim
  20. track — a song
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — to trim

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