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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · pitcher · charge · suit · cap · band · cabinet · bank

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rest — a break
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rest — what's left
  18. charge — in control
  19. cap — a lid
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bank — for money

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