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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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Word bank
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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: content · arm · bank · present · track · cap

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cap — a hat
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — a lid
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. present — there
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. content — happy
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. content — the amount
  18. present — a gift

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