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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cue — a signal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — steady
  8. cap — a lid
  9. press — to push
  10. firm — decided
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cue — a hint
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — for pool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. firm — a company
  18. press — newspapers

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