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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 120 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 · pit · bank · current · can · mate · wake · ruler

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a lid
  8. current — of water
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. can — to be able to
  12. current — happening now
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. current — electric
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mate — a friend

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