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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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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: ruler · bass · capital · pop · bay · tear · stand · bank

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pop — soda
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. capital — money
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. tear — from crying
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. tear — to rip
  21. capital — a city
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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