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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mine — for digging
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird

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