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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: can · cap · ball · charge · drill · pop · roll · bank

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. can — a tin
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. roll — a list
  7. pop — music
  8. charge — in control
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bank — for money
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cap — a lid
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pop — to visit
  17. drill — army training
  18. cap — of ice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bank — for money
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — on a roll

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