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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. band — a music group
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pound — a weight
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stand — to bear
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. band — a ring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. band — a rubber band

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