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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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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: content · season · rest · bore · bank · fan · fork · cap

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bore — to tire
  6. content — happy
  7. cap — a hat
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bank — for money
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rest — a break
  20. content — the amount
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — in a road

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