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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. season — of the year
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stand — to bear
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mug — a face
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. season — in sport
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mug — a cup

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