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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. staff — a stick
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. staff — employees
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — in cards
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. present — there
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — in biology
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — clothes
  20. degree — from a university
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — an amount
  24. cell — a phone

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