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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cap — a hat
  4. current — happening now
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. net — for catching
  7. degree — from a university
  8. current — electric
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. net — after costs
  12. cap — of ice
  13. current — of water
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. degree — temperature
  16. net — in sport
  17. cap — a lid
  18. degree — an amount
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bear — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bear — the animal

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