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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. shower — rain
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. root — of a plant
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. saw — the tool
  12. season — in sport
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stock — shares
  15. root — of a word
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — of the year
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stock — goods
  22. root — the cause
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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