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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cap — of ice
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. degree — temperature
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. band — a music group
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — an amount
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cap — a lid
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. band — a ring
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. deal — a big deal

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