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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · ground · bank · rush · stick · cap · pass · season

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. cap — a lid
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — in sport
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ground — a position
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ground — the earth
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bank — for money
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — to spend time

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