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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — army training
  7. cap — a hat
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. file — a document
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. swing — in golf
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fine — all right
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. drill — the tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. fine — high quality

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