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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. toast — bread
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — a lid
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pass — to spend time

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