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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bank — of a river
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. bass — low music
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bass — the fish
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cell — a phone
  19. object — a thing
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — in a race

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