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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
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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: ground · nail · hand · pass · cap · cell · land · bank

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. land — a country
  5. cell — in biology
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ground — a position
  10. pass — a permit
  11. land — ground
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cap — a hat
  19. land — to come down
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ground — the earth
  22. cap — of ice
  23. hand — help
  24. ground — crushed

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