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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: cue · charge · cap · last · nail · bank · land · swing

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cap — a lid
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — finally
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — a price
  10. swing — music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — in golf
  13. charge — electricity
  14. land — a country
  15. cue — a hint
  16. land — to come down
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bank — for money
  19. last — final
  20. swing — to play on
  21. charge — in control
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. land — ground

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