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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. fine — all right
  3. cap — of ice
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. dip — to sink
  10. kid — to tease
  11. firm — a company
  12. mug — a cup
  13. firm — decided
  14. wake — a trail
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. kid — child
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. firm — steady
  24. mug — a face

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