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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.

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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. season — of the year
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cap — a hat
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. season — in sport

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