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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. charge — in control
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cold — not warm
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cold — an illness
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bowl — a dish

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