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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · bass · can · chair · bank · rash · row · cap

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. can — a tin
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rash — a series
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — for money
  11. cap — a hat
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chair — a leader
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rash — hasty

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