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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cap — of ice
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — to cut
  6. cap — a hat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. can — to be able to
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. can — a tin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cap — a lid
  13. can — a tin
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ball — a great time
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — for a hammer

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