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

Word bank: cue · cold · stock · cap · mouse · bank · deal · calf

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cap — a hat
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cold — not warm
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stock — shares
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cap — of ice
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stock — goods
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cold — an illness
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mouse — the animal

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