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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. can — a tin
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cue — for pool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cell — a phone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — a lid
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cap — of ice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. net — for catching
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — 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