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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: mouse · cap · court · rock · bank · mark · pitcher · tube

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. court — for sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. court — of a king
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cap — a hat
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. bank — of a river
  13. court — of law
  14. bank — for money
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rock — a stone

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