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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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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: bore · bank · cap · cold · toast · mark · stick · racket

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — to tire
  24. toast — bread

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