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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: cap · mouse · chair · bank · wound · track · drill · suit

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chair — a leader
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. track — a path
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. drill — the tool
  16. suit — in cards
  17. track — a song
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — for money
  23. track — to keep track
  24. drill — army training

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