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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · cap · cabinet · craft · bass · clip · bulb · bank

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — a hat
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — the fish
  8. cap — a lid
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. clip — to cut
  12. present — there
  13. bass — low music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. present — a gift
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. clip — a video
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. present — the time now
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — boats
  24. bank — of a river

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