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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · content · bear · cap · mine · face · bank · calf

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bank — for money
  7. content — the amount
  8. face — to confront
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rush — hurry
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. content — happy
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rush — to hurry

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