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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: object · can · cap · leaves · wound · bank · net · ground

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. object — an aim
  3. net — in sport
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. net — after costs
  6. object — a thing
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. ground — a position
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. object — to protest
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wound — an injury
  20. can — to be able to
  21. net — for catching
  22. can — a tin
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bank — for money

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