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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: dip · mark · nail · fan · ground · stand · cap · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ground — crushed
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ground — a position
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bank — for money
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cap — a lid

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