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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 turn the ________________ on?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. land — to come down
  4. present — there
  5. mug — to rob
  6. present — the time now
  7. cap — of ice
  8. scale — size or range
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. land — a country
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cap — a lid
  14. present — a gift
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. mug — a face
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — ground
  22. mug — a cup
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cap — a hat

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