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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: game · rush · cap · sharp · bank · calf · charge · bark

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — hurry
  5. charge — a price
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bark — to shout
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — clever
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — in control
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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