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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. roll — a list
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cap — a lid
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. tear — to rip
  11. fine — all right
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. tear — from crying
  24. roll — on a roll

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