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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rock — music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. key — in music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rock — a stone
  18. suit — to fit

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