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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. spring — of water
  3. file — a document
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cap — a lid
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. race — a contest
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cap — a hat
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — to get on
  18. file — a line of people
  19. board — a committee
  20. spring — the season
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. file — a tool
  23. spring — a coil
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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