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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: rush · bat · cap · bank · ruler · stand · calf · nail

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stand — to bear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — of ice

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