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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. staff — employees
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pitch — completely
  5. staff — a stick
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. spring — of water
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. firm — steady
  17. spring — the season
  18. firm — a company
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cap — a hat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. staff — employees

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