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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: nail · wind · can · cap · bank · mouse · safe · branch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — a lid
  5. can — a tin
  6. cap — of ice
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wind — moving air
  14. can — a tin
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bank — for money
  17. branch — a division
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mouse — the animal

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