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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pop — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cap — a lid
  7. current — happening now
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. season — of the year
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pop — soda
  14. current — of water
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cap — a hat
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hand — help
  20. pop — to visit
  21. current — electric
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. hand — part of the body

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