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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: rest · roll · mug · stand · cap · wave · bank · can

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mug — a face
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bank — for money
  8. mug — a cup
  9. roll — a list
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rest — what's left
  12. roll — a cake
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cap — a lid
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rest — a break
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stand — on your feet

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