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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. mug — a cup
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cue — a signal
  5. march — music
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mug — a face
  14. ground — a position
  15. mug — to rob
  16. firm — decided
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ground — crushed
  19. firm — a company
  20. cap — of ice
  21. march — the month
  22. branch — a division
  23. march — the month
  24. firm — steady

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