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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cap — a hat
  9. spell — magic
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spell — a short time
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. spell — letters
  24. suit — in cards

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