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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · cap · suit · bowl · cell · present

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cell — in biology
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. present — there
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — the time now
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. suit — to fit

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