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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 116 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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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: cap · bay · stick · object · bat · rest · season · bank

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. rest — a break
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. object — an aim
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. season — of the year
  11. cap — a hat
  12. object — to protest
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. object — a thing
  20. bat — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rest — what's left
  23. season — in sport
  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