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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: mark · racket · cabinet · stand · cold · rush · bank · calf

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cold — an illness
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cold — not warm
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bank — for money
  14. mark — a trace
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rush — to 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