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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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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 · mine · bank · foot · hide · bore · band · deal

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a hat
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bank — of a river
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. band — a music group
  10. cap — a lid
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — for digging
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. band — a ring

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