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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: object · bank · land · hide · mate · dip · cap · ball

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bank — of a river
  3. land — ground
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bank — for money
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — to breed
  10. object — an aim
  11. bank — for money
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mate — a friend
  14. object — a thing
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. land — to come down
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. land — a country
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — a lid
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ball — a round shape

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