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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chip — to eat
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. spring — the season
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. spring — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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