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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: suit · bowl · cap · ground · chest · object · bank · nail

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chest — a box
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. object — to protest
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bank — for money
  11. cap — a hat
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. object — a thing
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. object — an aim
  24. bowl — to roll

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