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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cap — a hat
  3. row — a line
  4. foot — a measure
  5. row — to paddle
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mate — a friend
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mate — to breed
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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