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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 116 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 turn the ________________ on?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cap — of ice
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitch — completely
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fall — the season
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. fall — to drop

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