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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mug — a face
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. cap — of ice
  15. current — of water
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pound — a weight
  19. mug — a cup
  20. kick — in football
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fan — a supporter

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