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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: cap · sharp · bank · track · straw · chest · object · suit

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bank — of a river
  5. object — a thing
  6. track — a path
  7. chest — of your body
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. chest — of your body
  10. track — a song
  11. object — to protest
  12. chest — a box
  13. cap — of ice
  14. object — an aim
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bank — for money
  17. sharp — clever
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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