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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. can — to be able to
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a great time
  11. present — a gift
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. present — the time now
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — a price
  16. snap — to click
  17. present — there
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cap — a lid
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lie — to recline
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lie — an untruth

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