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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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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: cold · mouse · ruler · bank · wake · present · can · leaves

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cold — not warm
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. present — the time now
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — there
  16. cold — an illness
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bank — of a river
  19. can — a tin
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. present — a gift
  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