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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 120 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 put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. hand — help
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. hand — in cards
  7. content — the amount
  8. current — electric
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. content — happy
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — to fit
  15. current — of water
  16. cap — a hat
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rule — government
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. coach — a trainer

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