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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. firm — a company
  3. spring — of water
  4. cap — a lid
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. spring — the season
  7. perch — the fish
  8. firm — decided
  9. cap — of ice
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pit — in a race
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pass — a permit
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pit — a hole
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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