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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: pop · trunk · bank · cap · mouse · pitcher · bound · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cap — a hat
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pop — soda
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — music
  24. cap — of ice

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