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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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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: roll · pound · bank · cap · pit · shower · chair · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chair — a leader
  7. cap — a lid
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. roll — a cake
  14. pit — a hole
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. shower — rain
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. shower — to wash
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pound — for dogs
  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