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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.

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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: cap · bank · mark · coach · cold · bay · squash · charge

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — of ice
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cold — an illness
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. charge — electricity
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cold — not warm
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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