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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: can · ball · bank · rush · tear · pound · root · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. tear — from crying
  6. root — of a word
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — to be able to
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cap — a lid
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rush — 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