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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: cap · bank · rush · snap · bear · ruler · mate · content

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bank — for money
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bear — the animal
  16. content — the amount
  17. mate — a partner
  18. content — happy
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ruler — for measuring

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